NFL U.K. Head Says Franchise Could Be Based In London In Six Years

Kirkwood Indicates Franchise Could Be Based In London Within Six Years

NFL U.K. Managing Dir Alistair Kirkwood indicated that a franchise "could be based in London within the next six years," if the Int'l Series games at Wembley Stadium "continue to flourish," according to Paul Higham of SKY SPORTS. The Patriots face the Buccaneers Sunday in the third regular-season game played in London, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "has spoken of the possibility of playing another regular season game" per year in the U.K. Kirkwood "believes that will be the first step on the road to an NFL team being based in London." Kirkwood: "If the stars are aligned and everything was working really well, then I think maybe something like 2015, but for that to happen we'd have to continue to do a really good job every year. We're a long, long way away from having a fanbase that would support a London team. But we're getting a track record here" (SKYSPORTS.com, 10/21). Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Friday in London indicated that he “wants the NFL to eventually set up camp in the United Kingdom in the form of a franchise.” Kraft: “I really believe it’d be the right thing to do sometime in the next decade, there should be a franchise here. We’ve had great support here and in Germany, so we look forward and see what happens” (BOSTONHERALD.com, 10/23). FOXSPORTS.com's Alex Marvez wrote the "only way to move beyond being a sports curiosity and gain true mainstream British acceptance ... would be placing a team permanently in the U.K." But that would create a "whole other set of issues." Int'l Series participants in the past "have privately griped about the logistical headaches caused by the London games," and making overseas trips annually for clubs in the same division as a U.K. franchise "would be nightmarish" (FOXSPORTS.com, 10/22).

MORE GAMES AHEAD? SKY NEWS' Ian Dovaston cited sources as saying that contracts are "close to being signed to bring two NFL games to Britain" next year. Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland; the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales; and Twickenham Stadium near London are "under serious consideration to stage a second game" (NEWS.SKY.com, 10/22). Kirkwood said that the NFL "hopes to stage two games in the city next year and, if successful, double that number by 2012." Kirkwood: "We are talking to different teams to see who would be willing to do it. ... If we go to two games the next step would be to go to four games per year. I would like to do that after the 2012 Olympics" (BBC.co.uk, 10/22). He added, "It would be absolutely fine to have three, maybe four (overseas games) each year because people understand the logistical nature. The uniqueness of what we're trying to do in a very compressed season, and making sure that participating teams feel this is not a disadvantage to them, all of these things are incredibly important." But ESPNBOSTON.com's Mark Woods wrote "questions remain about whether it makes fiscal sense." While the London game is "profitable on its own," NFL sources confirmed that "moving a game across the Atlantic still loses money." The NFL's U.K. operation is "forced to reimburse the 'home team' for all of the expected revenue, including secondary concessions such as parking and hospitality, under the terms of the league's collective bargaining agreement" (ESPNBOSTON.com, 10/22).

Mankins Would Rather Be Playing In The U.S. Sunday

JUST PART OF THE JOB: Patriots OG Logan Mankins said of Sunday's game, "I wasn't totally excited with it, but it's one of those things the NFL wants us to do. I'd rather stay in the States and stick to our normal routine that we do every week. It's one of those things where you just have to deal with it and go play the game" (ESPNBOSTON.com, 10/22). Patriots RB Laurence Maroney: "It'd definitely be nice just to go out there and play in different countries. But to be honest, I'd just rather stay here. It's less traveling, less jet lag. I know my area and surroundings" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/23). CBS analyst Phil Simms, who will call Sunday's game with Jim Nantz, said, "Nobody (on the teams) is going to be excited to be playing there. The NFL season is tough enough. Not to be callous, but the NFL wants it. So for players, it's 'tough, deal with it'" (USA TODAY, 10/23).

GLOBAL EXPANSION: In Boston, Steve Buckley writes there is a "reason the NFL is staging this game in London, and it has nothing to do with fostering goodwill between the United States and England." The league is "reaching out to global markets," and bringing the NFL to Europe means "more T-shirts, caps, and Tom Brady bobblehead dolls being gobbled up by fans." Some Patriots players Thursday "seemed excited about the novelty of going to London," but they also "seemed to understand what the future may hold." Patriots DE Jarvis Green: "You may see the NFL in Europe on a regular basis someday. I look at it this way: The whole world watches football already. And us going over there to Europe, that's all part of it" (BOSTON HERALD, 10/23). ESPNBOSTON.com's Woods wrote the NFL in the U.K. is "still very much a minority niche, far adrift in popularity behind the domestic staples of soccer, rugby, cricket and cycling." The NFL is "not big enough to attract a place on the all-important back pages of the tabloids," but it "remains big enough to command a three-game live television schedule each Sunday, plus a weekly radio show on the BBC" (ESPNBOSTON.com, 10/21). But in Miami, Greg Cote writes, "This may be jingoism, but I'd like to keep the NFL an American league that plays in America. ... Football gradually but inexorably surpassed baseball as America's Pastime. The sport will begin to relinquish that crown, by degrees, when the NFL gets too close to standing for National Foreign League" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/23).